Printing apparatus



H. J. PLANT.

PRINTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION flLED DEC. 2a, |916.

Bmw/@mmm 3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Patented Nov. 9

H. J. PLANT.

PRINTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 23, Isls.

Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IIIIIIveIIIIIIaIIIrg H. J. PLANT'.

PRINTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED nc.23, I9Ie.

1,358,461 Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

fi@ Q30 33 34 36 l 47 f 24 z2 52 Ilmvmmm UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY J'. PLANT, OF ROCHESTER, NEVJ YORK, ASSIGNOR TO DEFIANCE CHECK WRITER CORPORATION, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PRINTING APPARATUS.

Application led December 23, 1916.

type which is adapted to print various amounts in gas, water and electric bills to correspond to the service used, an object of this invention being to provide a construcl tion which is compact in form and yet will permit the making of a bill for a minimum service, a maximiun service, or any service therebetween.

To this and other ends, the invention consists of certain parts and combinations of parts all of which will be hereinafter described, the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure l is a plan viewsof a machine embodying the present improvements Fig. 2 is a vertical` section through the machine in the direction of the axis of the printing cylinder;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line wa, Fig. 2; a l

Fig. 4 is a section on the line b-J), Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line c-c, Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section through one of the platens; and Y Fig 7 is a transverse sectionthrough one of the platens.

Referring more particularly to thedraw ings, 1 indicates a casing having a bottom la'hinged thereto at 3? and'securedin closed j position by a latch 4. Within thecaslng a shaft 2 is mounted, this shaft having there on two'printing wheels 3 andl 4, eachinY this instance, having two peripheral series of type 5 and 6, one series on each wheel servL ing .to print on the body of the bill. and the other series serving to print on ,the stub of the bill. The wheel 3 has its ycharacters running from the smallest amount for which a bill is rendered, while the wheell 4 has its characters running from an amount next'in order to that of the highest amount on the wheel 3, so that a bill may be rendered'for any service between the lowest on the wheel Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

Serial No. 138,573.

3 to the highest on the wheel 4. The printing wheel 3 is detachably secured to the shaft 2 by a pin 7 which causes the wheel 3 to turn with the shaft, and the wheel 4 isV mounted to turn loosely on the shaft, being held in spaced relation to the wheel 3 by a sleeve 8 about the shaft 2. Motion is trans-V mitted to the printing wheel 3 by a hand wheel 9 which is connected to a dial wheel 10 and is removably secured to the shaft 2 on the exterior of the casing, said shaft 2 being extended to one side of the casing 1, as shown in Fig. 2.

Motion is transmitted to the printing wheel 4 by a hand wheel 11, the latter being mounted upon one end of a hollow shaft 12 'which receives the shaft 2 and turns inV the casing 1, being projected from a gear wheel 13 arranged within the casing. This gear wheel 13 meshes with a pinion 14 and counter shaft 15 journaled within the casing and carrying a pinion 16 which meshes with a gear wheel 17 secured to the printing wheel 4. By this arrangement, when the key or pin 7 is removed, the shaft 2 may be withdrawn axially from the sleeve 12 and the printing wheels 3 and 4, thus permit ting the substitution of other printing wheels without removing theV gear wheel 13 or the hand wheel 11. The hand wheel 11 has acap 11a fitting the end of the shaft 12 and between this cap and the casing 1, a sleeve 11b is arranged to hold the shaft` 12 against axial movement when the shaft 2 is removed. VThe shaft 2 does not extend to the end of the shaft 12, so that a chamber 11' is provided into which oil may be introduceld by way of the opening 11d in the cap 1a.

To the end thatV the dial wheel 18, which corresponds-to the printing wheel 4, may be located at one side of the printing machine in proximity to the dial wheell 11, theA dial wheel 18Vis secured to a hollow shaft 19 in which the shaft 2 turns, said shaft 19 having a gear wheel 20 thereon which meshes with a pinion 21' on the counter-shaft 15. This arrangement permits the removal of the printing wheels without removing the dial t 18 or the gear wheel 20. A sleeve 19a sur- Y rounds the shaft 19 and abuts the dial wheel 18 at one end and the casing 1 at the other end, to hold the gear 2O in position when the shaft 2 is removed.

The top 22 of the casing is extendediin front of the latter and also at opposite sides of the latter, being provided with two slots 23 each of which is over one of the printingV wheels 3 and 4. rllhis top serves as a support for the work which is placed inverted on said top and is pressed downwardly through the slots 23 by a platen mechanism.

rlfhe platen mechanism, in this instance, embodies two platens 24,' each of which comprises a VVVmaterial of slightl .greater length than the 'D C L slot 23 ysaid rubber having aA central. portion adapted to pass through the slot and end portions 25, adapted to rest upon the top at the opposite ends of the slot to limit the movement ofthe platen through theV slot.;

This rubber platenis preferably partially incased in a sheath 26, in this instance formedof sheet metal bent in icl-form, and having spring tongues 2'? at its ends pro,-

jecting upwardly and provided with eyes.

Y head. f T he plunger 29 is guided in a block 31, theblock having a chamber therein for a coil spring 32 which. surrounds the plunger 29, abuts the chamber at its lower end, and the head 33 on the plunger at its other. eud.

' A lever 34pivoted at 35 to the block 3l, en-

gages the head 33 toV move the platen 24 toward-the printing wheel,V

'The twoheads 3l, for the two platens 24, are preferably' secured by screws 35 to a horizontal bar or bridge 37, which is spaced from the top surface 22 of the casing preferably by supporting arms which extend vertically at 38, thence horizontally at 39 under the side extensions of the top 22 to support the latter, and finally downwardly atV 40, the downwardly-extended portions being screwed or otherwise fastened to the upright side walls of the casing l.

`The printing wheels are inked by rollers 41,-the constructional arrangement of which does notenter into the present invention, and the printing lines are held centered beneath the slot 23 by centering devices V42 which coperate with centering wheels 43 on the printing wheels V3 and 4. The` construction of these devices do not enter into this invention. i

,Three gages are provided, namely, *rear* gage 44 common to both of the printing wheels or members 3 and 4, a gage 45 for Vthe printing member 3, and a gage 46 for the' printing member 4.

The gage 44 is preferably in the form of a bar resting on the top surface of the top strip of rubber or other yielding.

plate 22 and carrying headed bolts :47 at opposite ends for engaging the under side of they top plate, the top plate having slots 48 in which projections .49 on the bar operate .to guide the latter when it is adjusted toward and from the slots or openings 23.

The gages 45 and 46 are also preferably each in the form of a bar resting on the top surface ofthe top plate 22, and having lugs 50 near opposite ends working in slots 5l which are in the top plate 22 and extend parallel with the slots or openings 23. Headed bolts 52 extend through the-bars at the lugs 5U and work in the slotsfl to permit the adjustment of the'bars transversely in the directionof the length of the openings 23.

As before pointed out, the present embodiment of theinvention is especially de.- signed for placing in water, gas, or electric bills an amount corresponding to the service furnished, each printing wheel having two series of characters thereon, one. forthe main lbody of thebill and one for the stub. rllhe numbers on the dial do not indicate the amount of the charge but are based upon a certain. unit, suchunit indicating, for instance, a certain number of gallons of water, a certain number of feet of gas, or a certain number of kilowatt hours of electricity. This unit may be varied if it is desired to use the machine for other purposes. having two printing members, va large range is provided without the necessity of employinga single large type wheel. Should it bc desired to print with the type wheel 3, the work is placedupon a table 22 against the ByV gages 45 and 44, which have been previously adjusted tothe size of the work. The platen lever 34, which moves the platen-24. into contact with the wheel 3, is depressed, so that a line of type on both series von the type wheel is impressed upon the bill. Should the chargeV call for an amount greater than is provided by the type wheel 3, thetype wheel 4 is adjusted `and the work is placed against the gages 44 and 46 after which the-plate for coperation with the type'wheel 4 is operated, giving the same.

results as those produced by the operation of the platen which cooperates with.the type wheel 3.

Should it be desired to remove the type wheels 3 and 4, for the introduction of new wheels, or of wheels having different amounts thereon, the pin 7 is removed permitting the withdrawal of the shaft 2 which frees both'of the type wheels 3 and 4 without dismantling any other parts ofthe machine. l

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is :-Y

l. In combination with a plurality of printing members .adjustable independently about a common axis hand wheels for turning said members arranged at opposite sides of the machine, a plurality of independently operable platens, each for coperation with one of the printing members in line with each other, and a plurality of indicating dials lying one beside the other and each connected to one of the printing members.

2. In a printing apparatus, a casing, a printing member arranged in the casing, a top plate serving as a work support and having an opening through which a portion Y of the printing members is exposed, said plate being extended at opposite sides of the casing, a. bridge piece spaced from said top plate and having its ends extended downwardly at opposite sides of the top plate, and thence under the extended portions of the top plate and secured to the side walls of the Casing.

3. ln combination with two printing wheels mounted upon a common axis and independently adjustable, a common casing for said printing wheels having a top plate formed with two separate slots ar' ranged in alinement and each exposing` a portion of a printing wheel, two gages mounted at opposite sides of the top, one for each printing wheel, a gage at the rear of the top, common to both printing wheels, and two independently operable platens, one for each printing wheel.

4. in combination with a casing, two gear wheels having hollow shafts journaled in opposite walls of the casing, a hand wheel secured to one of said hollow shafts, a dial wheel secured to the other shaft, a shaft extending into both hollow shafts, a hand wheel and a dial wheel on said shaft, two printing wheelsymounted on the shaft between the two gear wheels, one of said printing wheels being secured to the shaft to turn therewith and the other being mounted to turn on the shaft, and driving connection between the gear wheels and the printing wheel which turns on its shaft.

5. In combination with a printing inember, a casing for said printing member having an opening through which the type on the printing member are exposed, and a yielding platen having a yielding portion adapted to pass through the opening to cooperate with the printing member and yielding portions for cooperating with the casing at opposite ends of the slot.

6. In combination with a grooved platen head, a sheathed platen arranged in said groove, and spring latch tongues projecting from opposite ends of the platen and coperating with the ends of the platen head to limit the longitudinal movement of the platen in the groove.

7. In combination with a grooved platen head, a yielding platen, and a sheath for the platen formed of sheet metal of channel form and having spring tongues bent therefrom at opposite ends of the channel to cooperate with the ends of the platen head.

HENRY J. PLANT. 

